866. Urgent. The French Naval Attache2 states Ministry contemplating possible dispatch of decoy vessel under escort of submarine to Azores. Ascertain reason for proposed move and remind ministry on diplomatic manner that at the Naval Conference held in London September fourth and fifth it was agreed that United States would operate in Azores. Believe it is not desirable that any submarines other than United States should be at Azores. Fear complications and trouble with possible <repetition> of NAHMA incident if French submarines sent to Azores.3 17331

Footnote 3: On 5 October 1917, NAHMA, an armed yacht, was searching for a reported German submarine in the vicinity of Gibraltar when it sighted two submarines trailing a merchant ship. Believing that these submarines were attacking the ship, NAHMA opened fire, only to discover afterwards that the submarines belonged to the Italian Navy. Two Italian sailors on one of the submarines were fatally wounded, and the other Italian submarine narrowly escaped any damage, as the shell that hit it failed to detonate. Despite the fact that the French Naval Ministry did accede to the request Sims made herein, his fears were realized in May 1918, when a French submarine, ignoring warnings to avoid the area, was attacked by a Gibraltar-based American ships escorting a convoy through the Mediterranean; Still, Crisis at Sea, 396.